Sulky-plow.



Patented-Nov. 26, 190i.

n. E. BARTON.

S U L K Y P L 0 W.

(Application filed. Nov. 10, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Shoat I.

(No Model.)

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Patented Nov, 26, I90].

n. E, BARTON. SULKY PLOW.

(Apialication filed. Nov. 10, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheqt 2.

(No Model.)

Mafia Je/Aer'fl Bar 7171, I By Ll: imra/eya Patented Nov.. 26, l90l. D. E. BARTON.

SULKY PLOW.

(Application fild Nov. 10, 1900.)

("0 Model.)

cams P575511 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DELBERT E. BARTON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

SULKY-PLOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,191, dated November 26, 1901.

Application filed November 10, 1900. Serial No. 36,007. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DELBERT E. BARTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sulky-Plows; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to sulky and gang plows or other machines wherein swiveled supporting-wheels are employed at the front and rear of the machine, and has for its object to provide a rigid automatic coupling device for connecting the so-called furrow or caster wheels and permitting the same to be disconnected at will and an automatic releasing device for uncoupling said wheels when turning a corner at the land side of the machine.

To this end my invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like notations refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation with some parts removed and others broken away, showing a sulky-plow equipped with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same machine with some parts removed and others broken away, the full lines showing the parts as they appear when the tongue is in its straight-ahead position or parallel with the land-wheel and the dotted lines showing the same parts as they would appear when turned to the land side. Fig. 3 is a detail in plan, showing portions of the coupling devices detached, Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section and partly in right-side elevation, showing the same parts as in Fig. 3, with a portion of the releasing devices attached thereto. Fig. 5 is a detail in crosssection on the line 00 00 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail in cross-section on the line at m of Fig. 4, and Fig. 7 is a detail in cross-section on the line 00 x of Fig. 4.

The main frame 1 is of the customary skeleton form and is supported in the customary way from a main or land-side wheel 2 and front and rear end caster-wheels, (marked 3 and 4, respectively.) The land-side wheel 2 turns on a crank-axle 5, mounted in a bearing-hub 6 and subject to the usual lever and spring adnon-rotatively fixed to the head of the axle.

The front-end caster-wheel 3 has its axle mounted in a bearing-bracket 10, fixed to the. right-hand forward'corner of the main frame,

and has formed integral therewith the locksegment 11, with which cooperates the ordinary front-end adjusting-lever 12, which is pivoted to the hanger-rod 13, suitably supported by the clamps 14 and 15, of which the member 14 is loose and the member 15 fast to the axle of the caster-wheel 3. 16 is carried in the customary way by crankhangers l7, pivoted to the plow-beam and journaled in suitable bearings 18, depending from the main frame. The adj usting-lever for raising and lowering the plow is not shown; but the plow is shown as upheld in its highest position by the customary lock latch devices 19 and 20.

At its forward end the plow-beam is provided with a suitable clevis 21 for the application of the evener in the ordinary way.

The upper end or head of theaxle of the front-end caster-wheel-3 has non-rotatively attached thereto the customary tongue-bracket 22 and another bracket affording crank-arms 24, 25, and 38. The pole 23 is boltcdto-the bracket 22 in the usual way. The crank-arm 24 of the front-caster-wheel axle andth'e The plow crank-arm 9 of the rear-caster-wheel axle are tion 26 is pivoted to the crank-arm 9 of the rear-caster-wheel axle and is provided with a lock lug or detent 28 at its forwardend. The

rod-section 27 has adjustably fixed thereto a bearing-lug 29, which carries a self-closing lock 30, adapted to engage with a lock-lug 28 of the link-section 26 when the tongue is in its straight-ahead position orparallel to the land-wheel 2. As shown, the bearing 29 is provided with a set=screw 31 and a drift-bolt 32, both adapted to engage with the rod 27, but from opposite sides of the same, for securely holding said bearing 29 wherever it may be set on the rod 27. The spring-bail 33 engages over the lower or long arm of the lockingdog 30 and has its lower ends anchored to the bearing 29. The spring-bail 33 normally holds the locking-dog 30 in its lowermost position. The locking-dog 30 is shown as of bell-crank form, pivoted at its elbow to the bearing 29. The upper or short arm of the locking-dog 30 is of hook shape and is engaged by a pivoted lever 34, forming a part of the releasing or uncoupling connection. The lever 34B is provided with several different holes for engaging with the hook end of the lock-lever 30 to permit the proper adjustment of the releasing connections. The lever 34: is connected by a wire rod 35 or other flexible connection with a short pivoted lever 36, pivoted to a bearing-lug 37, which is adjustably mounted in the outwardlyextended crank-arm 25 of the bracket made up of the parts 24 25, 850., as hitherto noted.

The link 26 is provided with a stop-lug (tat its rear outer end, adapted to engage with the rear face of the crank-arm 9 to limit the said links outward for pivotal motion when turning the machine about a corner to the right, and is also provided with a stop-lug a to engage with the forward face of the crank-arm 9 to limit the inward pivotal motion of said link 26 when turning the machine about a corner to the land, or as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The crank-arm 24 extends inward and backward with respect to the axis of the front-caster-wheel axle, and the rod-section 27 of the coupler connects to the crank-arm 24 on a center which is inward of the axis of the front-caster-wheel axle. The crank-arm 25 extends outward toward the right of the machine beyond the axis of the front-casterwheel axle, and the releasing rod or wire 35 connects to the lever 36 and through the same to the crank-arm 24 on centers, both of which are outward of said axle axis. With this construction and arrangement of the parts, hereinhefore described, in respect to each other the operation is as follows: When the tongue is in its straight-ahead position or in the normal position which it takes when the machine is at work in turninga furrow, the front caster-wheel of course runs in the furrow last previously made, While the rear caster-wheel runs in the furrow being made by the machine. In their forward travel 1 the draft-team will naturally sway more or less. This imparts a limited vibrating motion to the tongue 23 in the horizontal plane.

With the coupling devices constructed and mounted as described this sway motion of the team will not interfere with the proper alinement of the rear caster-wheel. Otherwise stated, the front caster-wheel may receive a limited angular motion under the swaying motion of the team without throwing the rear caster-wheel out of line. This is due to the relation of the centers of the coupling devices to the axis of the front caster-wheel, as hitherto noted. On the other hand, the coupling devices afford a rigid connection for cooperation to make the two caster-wheels assume their proper or most advantageous angular positions when it is necessary to turn the machine on a square corner toward the right or over the plowed land, as is done to back-furrow. When a square corner is to be turned to the land or toward the left, the crank-arm 25 has sufficient lead or moves sufficiently in advance of the alinement of the coupling-centers with the axis of the front caster-wheel to cause the releasing connections 34 to 36, inclusive, to rock the locking-dog 30 into its uppermost or uncoupling position. After the pole has been turned to the desired angle and the team begins to pull forward to turn the machine the coupling-rod 27 will pull outward from the link-section 26 and the rear caster-wheel will swivel on its own axis as a pivot into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. After the turn has been made and the pole is again brought parallel with the land-wheel 2 the rod 27 will move backward in the link 26, and then when the team moves forward the-rear caster-wheel, owing to the peculiar shape of its axle, will run forward, thereby moving the link-section 26 on the rod 27 until the coupling devices have come into their interlocked or coupled position, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 2. By reference to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that the axle of the rear caster-wheel is provided with a rearwardly and outwardly inclined section and that this in turn is provided with the journal-section for the wheel. In virtue of this peculiar shape of the axle of the rear-end caster-wheel the weight of the machine when the draft is applied thereto under the forward travel of the team will cause the caster-wheel to make a forward movement, with the effects above noted in respect to the coupling device.

-From the foregoing statements it will be seen that by my improved automatic coupler applied as described, in combination with the automatic releasing devices, I have provided connections for the axles of the two caster or furrow wheels which meet all the conditions of the work in the most advantageous manner. The rear caster-wheel cannot be thrown out of line by the sway motion of the team. The desired rigid connection is afforded to insure the necessary angular adjustment'of the two wheels when turning the machine on a corner toward the right, and

the two wheels are disconnected or uncoupled, as is most desirable and a practical necessity when turning a machine on a corner to the land. By thus uncoupling the two casterwheels when turning a square corner to the land it is not absolutely necessary to raise the plow out of the ground and the machine cannot be upset.

The releasing-wire 35 is connected to the crank-arm 25 through the short pivoted lever 36, so as to insure the retention of the proper center for the forward end of the wire 35 under the angular motion of the front-end caster-wheel. The adjustment of the bearing-block 37 for the lever 36 permits the forward center to be set to alford the desired or necessary amount of lead to insure the uncoupling or releasing action at the proper point in the angular motion of the forward caster-wheel when turning the land. The fact that the connection 35 is flexible avoids any interference or breakage of the releasing connections when the machine is turned about a corner to the right, as to back-furrow. The pivoted lever 34 permits any desired adj ustment of the releasing connection which may be necessary at the lock end of the same.

The presence of the extra or third crankarm 38 on the crank-bracket non-rotatively fixed to the front-end caster-wheel axle permits the releasing connections to be detached and the couplingrod 27 to be unhooked from the crank-arm 24 and applied to the crankarm 38, and by making these changes the coupling connections would be without any automatic uncoupling or releasing devices and the two caster-wheels wouldremain connected together by the coupling device at all times unless they were uncoupled by hand.

The construction and mounting of the automatic coupling and uncoupling or releasing devices as shown is the one which I prefer; but it will be understood that modifications thereof may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention. 7

By extensive field use I have demonstrated the efficiency of the invention herein disclosed for the purposes had in view.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letiters Patent of the United States, is as folows:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with front and rear end swiveled supporting wheels, of an automatic coupler connecting the axles of said wheels, which coupler is constructed and mounted to afford a rigid connection for said wheel-axles, when the machine turns a corner to the plowed land, for back-furrowing, and to permit disconnection or uncoupling of said wheel-axles, when the machine turns a corner to the unplowed land, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with the front and rear end caster-wheels,of a couplings-0d composed of telescoping sections pivoted to crank-arms nonrotatively fixed to the axle of said wheels, which rod-sections are provided, one with a look-lug and the other with a self-closing locking-dog, for engagement with the said lug, with said coupling devices connected on centers inward of the axis of the front casterwheel, whereby, the pole may vibrate under the sway motion of the team without throwing the rear caster-wheel out of line, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with front and rear end casterwheels, of a coupling-rod composed of telescoping sections pivoted to crank-arms non, rotatively fixed to the axles of said wheels, which rod-sections are provided one with a lock-lug and the other with a self-closing locking-dog, with said coupling devices constructed and mounted, to permit a lateralvibration of the tongue, under the sway motion of the team, and nevertheless to afiord a rigid connection between the said crank-arms when the machine turns a corner to the plowed land for back-furrowing, substantially as described.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with the front and rear end caster-wheels,of a coupling-rod composed of telescoping sections pivoted to crank-arms nonrotatively fixed to the axles of said wheels, which rod-sections are provided, one with a lock-lug and the other with a self-closing lock, and releasing devices applied to said lock and operated from the axle of the front casterwheel, with said coupling devices connected on centers inward of the axis'of the front caster-wheel, and said releasing devices connected to a crank-arm of the front caster-wheel outward of the axis thereof, whereby, the pole may vibrate under the sway motion of the team and when the machine turns a corner toward the unplowed land, the coupling device will be disconnected, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with the front and rear end caster wheels having respectively the crankarms 24. and 9, of the automatic coupling devices composed of the link 26 pivoted to the arm 9 and having the stop-lugs a and a, and the lock-lug 28, the rod 27 pivoted to the crank arm 24 at its forward end and having its rear end mounted for sliding movement through the link 26, the adjustable bearing-lug 29 on the rod 27, the spring-held pivoted lockingdog 30 on the lug 29, and the releasing devices made up of the lever 34 pivoted to the upper arm of the dog 30, the rod 35, the lever 36 and the adjustable bearing 37 connecting the lever 34 with the crank-arm 25 on the front-caster-wheel axle, all for cooperation, substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with the front and rear end caster-wheel axles, having crank-arms non-rotatively fixed thereto, of an automatic coupling device connecting crank-arms of the two cas- Ioo ter-wheel axles, an automatic releasing or matic releasing device, substantially as deuncoupling device for said automatic coupler scribed. 10 detachably applied thereto, and a crank-arm In testimony whereof I affix my signature non-rotatively fixed to the frontcast-er-wheel in presence of two witnesses.

5 axle to which the front end of the coupling- DELBERT E. BARTON.

rod may be interchangeably applied, at will, Witnesses: when the releasing device is removed, to af- MABEL M. MCGRORY,

ford an automatic coupler, without an auto F. D. MERCHANT. 

